Jeremy Lin: Houston Rockets PG Performs Well in His First Game

Scott Halleran/Getty ImagesJeremy Lin started his first game with the Houston Rockets

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Jeremy Lin has been pushed to the back of many fans' minds after the Houston Rockets beat the Detroit Pistons 105-96, with an incredible performance put forth by the newly acquired James Harden. However, the other piece of their backcourt duo provided a strong stat line over 35 minutes.

Lin, the former Harvard point guard who took the NBA by storm last year, produced a quality performance in a quieter manner than usual with 12 points on 41.7 percent shooting. He also provided eight assists, four rebounds and four steals.

The only complaint that Houston fans can really have with Lin's offensive game is the four turnovers he committed. However, he was always a turnover-prone player in New York, so it is a bit much to expect a complete change in the first game of the season.

Lin not only appeared comfortable in his role of playing alongside Harden, but he also showed the ability to control the offense and get his teammates strong looks to increase their chances of scoring.

Although Lin showed a few lapses at the defensive end of the floor, overall, his effort was impressive, and he was capable of forcing Detroit to turn the ball over often. If he continues to play with a high level of intensity on defense, it will greatly help Houston disrupt the flow of the opponent's game and increase their possessions through forcing turnovers.

Almost as impressive as the performance that Harden orchestrated on his first night with the team was the ability of Lin and Harden to find a relatively smooth relationship on the court. Both guards worked well together, demonstrating that they will likely be able to build chemistry very quickly and begin to take advantage of their complementary styles of play.

Watch the Full Rockets vs Pistons Highlights

The only aspect of their games that could begin to clash at one point is the fact that with Harden in the game, Lin will likely be relied on to set up the offense, which can lead to inaccurately thrown passes for the turnover-prone point guard.

Overall, Jeremy Lin had a very promising first game of the season, and it should leave fans satisfied with the young backcourt that will be anchoring this team for the season. It will still be some time before Harden and Lin build a strong chemistry with each other and the remainder of the team, but it appears that the two may actually end up working very well together.

Rockets fans may finally have something to cheer about. After a summer of speculation and failed attempts at landing a superstar, team now has two young promising guards to build around.